This invention relates to facsimile transmission systems and, more particularly, to facsimile record and playback apparatus for receiving and recording facsimile transmissions from a telephone line on a removable recording medium for later display and viewing comprising, a cassette device containing a recording medium; record/playback means for removably receiving the cassette device, for receiving data signals at an input thereof, for writing the data signals on the recording medium; for reading the data signals from a cassette device, and for providing the data signals at an output thereof; modem means connectable to the telephone line at an input thereof for receiving a facsimile transmission and for providing the facsimile transmission at an output thereof; first logic means connected to the output of the modem means for establishing a handshaking interface with a facsimile machine transmitting a facsimile on the telephone line, for receiving the facsimile transmission, for stripping off unnecessary transmission related information from document data information, for inserting control characters required for proper transcription at a later time, and for transmitting the control characters and document data information as data signals to the input of the recorder means, the first logic means including logic for performing the steps of,
(1) outputting a start of message indicator to the input of the recorder means to be recorded on the cassette device whereby the start of each message on the cassette device can be found at a playback time, PA1 (2) when an incoming call from a sending facsimile machine is received, first staying in a loop to establish the necessary handshake interface with the sending machine, PA1 (3) when information from the sending machine begins to flow, looking to see if it has received document data related to the pixel content of a document being transmitted or interFAX communication data and if document data, proceeding to step (4), otherwise to step (5), PA1 (4) outputting document data to the input of the recorder means to be recorded on the cassette device and then proceeding to step (9), PA1 (5) striping non-document data from a stream intended for recording on the cassette device, PA1 (6) determining whether an internal control character as employed by transcription logic should be inserted and if not, proceeding to step (4), PA1 (7) providing appropriate control character(s) in the stream intended for recording on the cassette device and proceeding to step (4), PA1 (8) checking to see if the incoming transmission is finished and if not, returning to step (3), PA1 (9) outputting an end of message indicator to the input of the recorder means to be recorded on the cassette device, and PA1 (10) terminating the interface with the sending facsimile machine in a normal manner and exiting;
viewing means for presenting facsimile documents in a viewable form; and, second logic means connected to the output of the record/playback means for receiving the data signals therefrom, for recognizing and separating the document data information and the control characters therefrom and for formatting and outputting the document data information in combination with control information derived from and reflecting the control characters to the viewing means whereby the facsimile as originally recorded from the telephone is presented in a manner for the viewing and reading thereof.
Facsimile (FAX) transmission systems are growing constantly in popularity for both personal and business use. FAX machines that cost $3000 a short time ago now sell for $1500 and are projected to be selling for $700 in the not too distant future. Even with such dramatic drops in price, the cost of a FAX machine is still too steep for many potential users. Many copy shops, and the like, now offer both sending and receiving FAX service for users who can not afford or justify their own FAX machine. This, of course, adds to the delay of receiving incoming FAX documents as there may be some time between the receipt of the FAX document by the receiving copy shop and their ability to track down and notify the intended recipient. While developing FAX protocol dictates that each transmission should have a cover sheet setting forth the intended recipient and the sender with specificity, many many transmissions do not include such information. Where the sender is unaware that the telephone number provided for FAX transmissions is not at the recipients location (being, in fact, at some service location) the indication of the recipient may be very sparse or lacking altogether. Once the recipient is located and informed that a FAX has arrived, arrangements must be made for the document to be paid for and picked up.
Within larger companies, the problem is similar. While the document may be in the right company, it may be difficult or impossible to find the recipient and deliver the document. There is also the problem of privacy and security. This problem exists for both the in-company recipient and the service location recipient. First, unlike the mail that arrives in an envelope, the typical prior art FAX transmission takes place as depicted in FIG. 1. The document 10 is loaded into the input hopper of the sending FAX machine 12. The receiving FAX machine 14 is then called over the telephone line 16. When a successful link has been established between the FAX machines 12, 14, the document 10 is scanned by the sending FAX machine 12 and the information sent to the receiving FAX machine 14 where the facsimile 18 (i.e. reproduction) thereof is printed out. As the facsimile 18 is printed out, it is available for viewing for anyone in the area interested in the contents thereof. There is no privacy and there is no security. In some instances, the receiving FAX machine 14 is provided with a physical or software key lock system whereby the facsimile 18 is stored in an internal memory and is not printed out until the recipient arrives with the key. This works after a fashion for high security systems; but, is impractical for the protection of everyday transmission within both the business and service location type of FAX installation.
Many FAX transmission are more akin to electronic mail then document transmission; that is, rather than play "telephone tag" trying to reach a recipient to give him/her a brief message (particularly by long distance or overseas with attendant time/language problems), the sender simply sends a FAX. In such instances, a hard copy of the "document" is not really needed and is a waste of paper. Rather than having the receiver (who is not the designated recipient in most cases) make a decision as whether to call or transmit the actual document, the usual decision is to send it. Service locations, of course, cannot call and give the message or they won't get paid. This need to send the document through company mail, or the like, also adds a considerable time delay between physical receipt of the message and its being transmitted to the intended recipient.
This problem could be solved if each person within a company routinely receiving FAX transmission had his/her own FAX machine. Even at the projected reduced price of $700, however, such an expenditure would not be practical for most companies.
There are also instances where business persons, for example, are away from their normal place of business and desire or need to receive a facsimile. Prior art devices classified as "portable" facsimile devices include both sending and receiving capability, are still large and cumbersome (being portable only by comparison to a standard facsimile machine), and are too expensive to make them generally available to large numbers of employees.
Wherefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a simple way of receiving facsimile transmissions which provides privacy and security for recipient with respect to the contents thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a simple way of receiving facsimile transmission which is at a cost level where individuals can afford to have the equipment and companies can afford to provide each person within a company routinely receiving FAX transmission had his/her own equipment.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a way of receiving facsimile transmission at any telephone with an inexpensive and portable device.
Other objects and benefits of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows hereinafter when taken in conjunction with the drawing figures that accompany it.